Finger Joints - Advice Needed

[ByronBlack]

I've decided to recycle a crappy old bureau and make a small tool-tote as featured in the Tolpin toolbox book. I've decided to finger joint the box section as it's plywood and I don't fancy trying to dovetail them.

The wood is 3/4inch 70's hardwood ply, it's pretty dry and tough.

Is there a decent guide anyone knows of on how to do these by hand? Is it just a case of sawing the vertical lines with a saw, and chopping-out the waste - then transferring the teeth onto the other piece - or is there a more efficient way of doing these?

I do have a router-table, and wondered whether it would be easier for me to make a jig, but I wouldn't really know where to start with that or whether it's more hassle than it's worth.

TIA

 

[Sportique]

Hi Byron

There are many designs of finger (box) joint jigs available - commercial - eg Leigh - and home made.

There is an example jig design on UKW site:

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/pdf/UKW_boxjoint.pdf

Most box joint jigs are based on the same simple principle as this one.

Dave

 

[ByronBlack]

Cheers Dave - I did search UKW but didn't come up with anything so thanks for linking that.

 

[wizer]

Cutting them by hand would be exactly the same process as DT's.

Or

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/fing ... 39234.html

 

[Harbo]

Pretty sure our Steve M has a jig for that on one of his DVD's?

Rod

 

[ByronBlack]

Steve's Jig is fantastic, but unfortunately, I don't have a mitre-track on my router-table, so will have to think of a way of doing something similar to those american router dudes with their white plastic jigs, or just practice doing them by hand.

 

[woodbloke]

BB - doing them by hand is doable but awkward with that ply you mention (alternating grain :evil: ) If done by hand, cut a pair (or one corner) at a time and offset the cut so that the saw cut is one the waste side of each line. The piece at the back should be moved to the left or right by the thickness of the saw kerf...make sense? - Rob

 

[Mr Ed]

Cutting by hand and transferring from the first piece to the second, as you would with a dovetail, is exactly how I did my toolbox. Working in ply is fine, so long as its reasonable quality Birch. In my view this method is quick and easy.

Ed

 

[Sportique]

Steve's Jig is fantastic, but unfortunately, I don't have a mitre-track on my router-table, so will have to think of a way of doing something similar to those american router dudes with their white plastic jigs, or just practice doing them by hand.

Byron -instead of a mitre track you can use the edges of your router table. :idea:

Provided the edges of the table are straight and parallel. Remove your fence and add runners to both sides of the base of your box-jig (you will need to make the jig wider than the table) - fit one side with slightly elongated holes to enable minor adjustment of one runner. 8)

Dave

 

[ByronBlack]

Dave - unfortunately, my 'router-table' is rather agricultural and I doubt there is a parallel line anywhere within it. All the jigs i've used have been of the sled variety running against a fence which is usually just clamped on somewhere - again never parallel with the table, but always adjusted to the blade.

 

[Racers]

Hi,

I have done them in the past with a jig like this http://www.routerworkshop.com/boxjoints.html but made from a piece of thin MDF and a lenght of hard wood, no miter track needed.


Pete

 

[Sportique]

Pete

thanks for the link, an excellent jig.

Byron - maybe a solution for you.

Dave

 

[Eric The Viking]

Steve's Jig is fantastic, but unfortunately, I don't have a mitre-track on my router-table, so will have to think of a way of doing something similar to those american router dudes with their white plastic jigs, or just practice doing them by hand.

I don't see why you can't run it against a fence, or a straight-edge clamped to the top of the table. You need an index edge that doesn't slip, that's all. A notched piece of thick MDF (to match the straight-edge) would serve, as long as you have something flat on the table too, to prevent it skewing when moved.

The router workshop jig is fine, but Steve M's one is guarded properly.

 

[ByronBlack]

Eric - my mind isn't great at visualising jigs, so i'm having trouble seeing how a steve (tm) jig that would work against a fence - wouldn't the stock end up banging into the fence as it moves across the index.. (scrap that, I realised what you are suggesting - the jig and fence are the same height?)

Pete - I did look at that 'router-workshop' jig, but for some reason didn't understand the instructions - but after re-reading it, I can see how I can make one, so I think i'll go down this route and see how it goes, otherwise I'll give it ago by hand.